WWII Pic of my Dad

[ocdart]

This is a great thread you started ramcharger!
My dad was a railroad engineer for Union Pacific during the war and his job was deemed more valuable here at home than in the military so I don't have any WWII stories from him. I do have some photos somewhere of my mom in her Women's Auxilary Medical Corp. uniform. Both of them are gone now. My dad died from his 2nd heart attack at the age of 44 when I was 7. The doctor said it was due to all of the hard work and extremely long hours during the war. My mom died from cancer about 18 years ago. Still miss them both even though I was so young when my dad passed.
My uncle was aboard the battleship West Virginia the morning of Dec. 7 at Pearl Harbor, anchored very close to the Arizona. Although he and my aunt had a pool at their home, he could never go in water deeper than his knees. He said all he could see in his mind was burning oil on the water - he had to swim under it to get away from his ship during the attack at Pearl. That was about all he'd say about the war. He passed just a couple of years ago.
That truly was the 'Greatest Generation'.

 

[Tony Fields]

I have had this picture since I was 6 years old Joe, It was all I had to know who my father was growing up. I have not taken it out of the frame in a long time. USAF Field Engineer, He said he would fly over area's and take pictures of the land for base camps, he ended up as an Architect and helped design our Collage and foot ball stadium here in town and was a building inspector for commercial buildings
I new my uncles more then I knew my father, My mom's brother was a Marine and was a marksman trainer with a M1 rifle. Robert Morgan "my father figure" has Trophies from the Marine's for shooting and medals as a trainer.
You look like your father Joe. I wish I new more about there time serving our country, But uncle Robert made up for it by letting me in his home every year between crop season. His family is my family and live just a 40 minute drive away.

I sure do miss him and will always remember all he has taught me, he made me the man I am today, I got to know my father for a little while and miss him to, But my uncle Robert Morgan has me in tears now. Damn it man.

I put the word Dad on the pack of the picture in 1965

Hey Mike,
Your father looks great in that uniform. Thank you for sharing.
We owe a lot to these men and women who served us well.

To those of you that served in Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afganastan
We owe you too.

 

[Tony Fields]

My grandpa was in WW11 i dont have any of his pics here with me or i would post them...but i still remember he always had his green army duffle with his uniforms and stuff in the house...and kept his boots nice and clean...i joined the army back in 2005
this first pic is me right after i got my combat patch..im standing in are motorpool
View attachment 93480
this one is me holding a tank round
View attachment 93481

Thank You!...you've got my attention

 

[FISHBREATH]

Here are a couple of my great uncle Henry's last ride. B-24 40-2354 C "SNAFU"; 8th Air Force, 44th Bomb Group, 66th Bomb Squadron. Henry was detached for a time to Long Island for development of the Norden Bomb Sight during the late 1930s. He flew out of Mitchell Field. He was a Master Sergeant bombardier, but was a section chief by the time of his being shipped to Shipdham, England, and was not required to fly. The Air Corps was deadly low on air crews due to injury, sickness, and deaths. He volunteered to fly every one of his missions. SNAFU went down on 16 February 1943 in the English Channel. No survivors.

 

[ramcharger]

Thank you so much Fish and everyone for the pictures. These stories should never be forgotten.

A man once said "It's the not the bullet with your name on it that you have to worry about but the one that says "To Whom It May Concern"".

 

[cudaspaz]

My Mom remarried a guy from the former Yugoslavia named John.

He was a young man when he escaped Hitler's army that totally pillaged his country.
His town was taken over by the Nazi's and his farm taken over for weeks by soldiers until all the animals were eaten up.
His parents were killed and his sisters were repeatedly raped by the soldiers but he helped them escape one night with the help of a neighboring farmer who suffered greater losses.
They ran for days and only moved at night until they came to a burned out barn that was still standing enough for shelter.
They waited there in the abandoned farm for months and found two other young girls in the woods while trying to snare some small game.
They ended up hopping a train and had to hide under the seats while being straifed by the Germans.
He made his way to America by hopping a steamer and never looked back, but he never had contact with any of the other people as they split up in all different directions.

John died a few months ago from sudden illness at 83 years old.

I talked to him about this election and he said it was very scary how much obama's policies reminded him of adolf Hitler's in his rise to power.

 

[memike]

Thank you so much Fish and everyone for the pictures. These stories should never be forgotten.

A man once said "It's the not the bullet with your name on it that you have to worry about but the one that says "To Whom It May Concern"".

Wow :read2: That was good :happy10: Good thought, I agree.
It's not the destiny that is more important it's the journey that we are having know and not have our lives be consumed with To Whom It May Concern :-D

 

[ramcharger]

My Mom remarried a guy from the former Yugoslavia named John.

He was a young man when he escaped Hitler's army that totally pillaged his country.
His town was taken over by the Nazi's and his farm taken over for weeks by soldiers until all the animals were eaten up.
His parents were killed and his sisters were repeatedly raped by the soldiers but he helped them escape one night with the help of a neighboring farmer who suffered greater losses.
They ran for days and only moved at night until they came to a burned out barn that was still standing enough for shelter.
They waited there in the abandoned farm for months and found two other young girls in the woods while trying to snare some small game.
They ended up hopping a train and had to hide under the seats while being straifed by the Germans.
He made his way to America by hopping a steamer and never looked back, but he never had contact with any of the other people as they split up in all different directions.

John died a few months ago from sudden illness at 83 years old.

I talked to him about this election and he said it was very scary how much obama's policies reminded him of adolf Hitler's in his rise to power.

My Grandfather on my mothers side came here from what was Austro-Hungaria in 1912. He enlisted in WWI to fight the Germans. He passed away before I was born, but my Mother left me some of his trophies including a German cavlery bayonet and U.S. bayonet, his pistol belt, WWI can of rations, etc. When my mother gave these to me, she said he never talked of how he got these items, ever. They are battle scarred, no doubt and I feel honored to be their caretaker.

The family on my Fathers side came from what was then Sudetenland and is now Bavaria and Czechoslovakia, where some the finest craftsmen in world came from. My Great Grandfather was born in 1840 in the aforementioned country, my Grandfather Jacob was born here in 1880 and married in 1907. My Great, Great Grandfather commissioned a sailing ship to come across the Atlantic ocean as the Kaiser at that time, a mix of English and German royalty was a freakin' nut and he knew that trouble was brewing and wanted to send my family to the "New World" along with other business men of the day to include the Schmidts, Stauber, Woodie and other families.

The crossing of the ocean back then was a gamble and this was no exception. Upon finally arriving, my Great Grandmother told my Great Grandfather to build a Chapel in thanks to making it to their promised 40 acres, and he did, even though they lost 2 children to disease in the process.

These men and women are why I'm here and I WILL NOT GIVE UP!! I don't care what is thrown at me.

Sincerely,

Joseph Jacob Esterl

P.S.

The barn that my Great Grandfather built with wood pegs still stands to this day in the Town of Eisenstein (Iron Stone). No nails.

 

[ramcharger]

It's not the destiny that is more important it's the journey that we are having know and not have our lives be consumed with To Whom It May Concern :-D

Right on Mike. :cheers:

In regards to the "Journey", you are the best of examples. :cheers:

Robert Frost wrote this and I think it is applicable to both our journeys:

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference"


Robert Frost



Mike,

You have done as above whether by your hand or others and came out on top!
You have much to proud of as you did the best you could with what you had.
You have a wonderful family and stayed the path. You "Walked The Line" as Johnny Cash sung.

I'm still drifting a bit.

 

[memike]

I walk with great Lions here, so my presents is excepted and that make's me proud.

By memike Mike S. Thank you my Brother Joe

 

[ramcharger]

I'm nothing but a wolf or maybe a bear.

You, my Brother, have done it! Be proud!

 

[FISHBREATH]

Hey, Ram, where is Eisenstein?

 

[ramcharger]

Markt Eisenstein straddles border between Bavaria and Czechoslovakia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Železná_Ruda

 

[69DARTS]

very neat pics

 

[armyreaper62]

heres a pic i was given in iraq of some marines over sea's

 

[Abodywantedinmi]

My grandfather on my dad's side was a Marine that fought in France during WWI. He received a purple heart. Unfortunately, he died when my dad was 8 and we never learned much from my grandma about his service time.
My grandfather on my mom's side was a Merchant Marine during WWII and his ship was torpedoed by a Japanese sub after the Japanese had surrendered. His back was broken (no spinal cord damage) in the explosion and he has no recollection of who pulled him out of the ship. He was actually first rescued and treated by Japanese sailors who knew the war had ended. He spent months rehabilitating in San Francisco and then New York.

 

[crazybarracuda]

my great grandfather was part of one group that helped liberate france and i have in my possession a picture that was draw of him by a child in one small town as they were occupying it before moving on to the next town. ill try getting pics of it up soon

 

[brewil]

Wow Abodywantedinmi that's a really interesting story!
As an outsider I have always found the war fascinating. The last Japanese soldier from WW2 surrendered in December 1974.

 

[catsncudas]

My great-uncle and his brother served in the Pacific Theatre. Uncle John was in Navy Intelligence, and they flew him from island to island as they were captured to work on breaking the Japanese navy's code. He always had a Marine with him, he thought for his protection, until his C.O. told him the Marine was there to put a 45 slug in his head if they got captured. When he left the Navy, he had to sign a document promising he would not talk about the code breaking/interrogations for, I think, 50 years. When he was finally able to talk about it, we taped it at a family reunion so his story wouldn't be lost. He died about a year after that, and we were so happy we were able to hear his story. His brother Harry was a seabee. He ran a dozer making landing strips. He said that they would place wagers on how far they could knock japanese snipers out of the trees with their bulldozers.

 

[69cudafla]

awesome pics there ramcharger..on the 11th of november on every marines birthday i'll be sure to throw one back for your pops and give him a resounding oorah!!

 

[autopar3000]

70 years ago today Germany invaded Poland. Two days later Britain and France declared war, with Canada joining the war on Septemeber 10th. Check out this audio clip:

http://archives.cbc.ca/war_conflict/second_world_war/clips/17055/

 

[Burntorange70]

My mom has two pics.

One of me in my dress blues in boot camp and one of my Grandpa in his dress blues in boot camp. It is scary just how much we look a like. I need to get a copy of them from her.

 

[ramcharger]

My grandfather on my dad's side was a Marine that fought in France during WWI. He received a purple heart. Unfortunately, he died when my dad was 8 and we never learned much from my grandma about his service time.
My grandfather on my mom's side was a Merchant Marine during WWII and his ship was torpedoed by a Japanese sub after the Japanese had surrendered. His back was broken (no spinal cord damage) in the explosion and he has no recollection of who pulled him out of the ship. He was actually first rescued and treated by Japanese sailors who knew the war had ended. He spent months rehabilitating in San Francisco and then New York.

Amazing story Abody!

my great grandfather was part of one group that helped liberate france and i have in my possession a picture that was draw of him by a child in one small town as they were occupying it before moving on to the next town. ill try getting pics of it up soon

Post when you get a chance!

Wow Abodywantedinmi that's a really interesting story!
As an outsider I have always found the war fascinating. The last Japanese soldier from WW2 surrendered in December 1974.

They were tough, no doubt. Many warriors going back a thousands of years have thought that they were judged by the power and fighting ability of their enemies. If this is true, than the Allied forces were truly the badest of the bad.

My great-uncle and his brother served in the Pacific Theatre. Uncle John was in Navy Intelligence, and they flew him from island to island as they were captured to work on breaking the Japanese navy's code. He always had a Marine with him, he thought for his protection, until his C.O. told him the Marine was there to put a 45 slug in his head if they got captured. When he left the Navy, he had to sign a document promising he would not talk about the code breaking/interrogations for, I think, 50 years. When he was finally able to talk about it, we taped it at a family reunion so his story wouldn't be lost. He died about a year after that, and we were so happy we were able to hear his story. His brother Harry was a seabee. He ran a dozer making landing strips. He said that they would place wagers on how far they could knock japanese snipers out of the trees with their bulldozers.

Was he American Indian? I wonder if he was one the "Code Talkers" that a movie came out about not too long ago. What a great thing to have recorded him for posterity, and I wish I would have done the same.

awesome pics there ramcharger..on the 11th of november on every marines birthday i'll be sure to throw one back for your pops and give him a resounding oorah!!

Thanks 69cudafla!!!!!

70 years ago today Germany invaded Poland. Two days later Britain and France declared war, with Canada joining the war on Septemeber 10th. Check out this audio clip:

http://archives.cbc.ca/war_conflict/second_world_war/clips/17055/

Great info autopar3000!

My mom has two pics.

One of me in my dress blues in boot camp and one of my Grandpa in his dress blues in boot camp. It is scary just how much we look a like. I need to get a copy of them from her.

I didn't know you were a Marine! Get those pics up my friend!

 

[stansblue72]

My Dad was a Army Ranger in Korea one of the few stories he has told is:
He was driving a truck down a river bed when it was blown up winding up on its side. The guys in the back where all killed and Dad and the other in the front crawled out through the windshield.
When the got out dad said he looked up and standing above them on the river bank was 8 chinese soldiers with rifles. He said at that point he was sure he was dead.

Dad said they just stood there looking at each other the guy with Dad asked him what they should do? Dad said he told him well if there not going to shoot us I'm getting the hell out of here!
They ran over to the other side of the river bank crawled up and finnally worked their way back to their unit on foot. The only thing he could think of as to why they didn't get shot was that the chinese soldiers must have been out of ammo.
He use to have lots of medals and bars in a duffle bag but some one stole them about 10 years ago. Last year we thought it would be neat to get replacements for him but he said he didn't what them replaced.

Here's a picture of my Dad he is now 82 and still going strong. Also here is a picture of his two brothers who joined together. One of them was the Army boxing champ in 1953.

 

[ramcharger]

Great stories and pictures! Thank you greendart for sharing. Sorry to hear of the theft and how people can live with themselves after doing something like that just blows me away.

Next time you see your Dad, please thank him for me.